Anne Papmehl, Author at 1800Flowers Petal Talk

How to Write and Deliver a Wedding Toast

You’ve just been asked to deliver a wedding toast. Suddenly, you feel more jittery than the bride and groom. How will you pull this speech off?

That’s what rushed through the mind of Kris Dabrowski of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, when a friend invited him to not only give a wedding toast but be master of ceremonies.

Feeling like your toast absolutely has to be funny only adds to the tension and nervousness, so if you’re not a naturally funny person, don’t use it.

Arden Clise

President of Clise Etiquette

Author of Spinach in Your Boss’s Teeth: Essential Etiquette for Professional Success

“From the time I was asked to the time I started emceeing, I was nervous,” Dabrowski says. “But by preparing in advance, I found that once I was actually doing it, every minute started getting better and more comfortable.”

Giving a wedding toast is similar to being an emcee in that it involves public speaking — though without the stress of stage managing the entire show. So what is it about speaking at weddings in particular that gets people so worked up?

“Besides the public speaking aspect, weddings are such a special moment in time, and nowadays there’s a good chance your toast will be captured and shared on social media, which takes the pressure and anxiety level even higher,” says Margaret Page, president-elect of Toastmaster s International.

But here’s some encouraging news: As long as the toast request wasn’t made two minutes before the event, you can write a killer speech and deliver it like a pro. Just follow these simple guidelines, a template, and rules of etiquette.

Let’s get to work

The key thing to keep in mind before you even start writing your speech is that the bride and groom are the heroes of this story, not you. “Anything you can do to elevate them, present them in a different light, or help people get to know them a little bit better should be the focus of the toast,” says Arden Clise, president of Clise Etiquette and author of Spinach in Your Boss’s Teeth: Essential Etiquette for Professional Success.

Start with a strong opening statement, such as your connection to the couple. Then think short and sweet — no more than three points to cover and no more than three minutes to deliver. Otherwise, you’ll lose your audience, even the guests of honor.

As you brainstorm, here are some questions to ask yourself:

What does the person (or persons) you’re toasting mean to you?
Are there some treasured moments you’ve spent together that would be nice to share?
What’s the overall message you want to convey?
What kind of audience are you addressing, and how do you want them to feel when they hear your toast?

You might want to share stories or anecdotes that speak to why the couple is a good fit or highlight aspects that the audience would find interesting, uplifting, endearing, or funny. “It’s even OK to share something that’s slightly embarrassing, as long as it doesn’t hurt the person’s character,” Clise says. So, the amusing and relatable story about the time you and the bride botched a bread recipe is fine — revealing her darkest spring break secret is not.

Other things to avoid are bad language, vulgarity, and anything that could offend someone’s race, ethnicity, gender, orientation, culture, or religion. Humor is great, but don’t feel pressured to use it. “Feeling like your toast absolutely has to be funny only adds to the tension and nervousness, so if you’re not a naturally funny person, don’t use it,” Clise says.

Above all, you should strive to make the toast genuine and inspiring, and provide hope for the couple’s bright future together. “That level of authenticity is something that the couple will remember for the rest of their lives,” Page says.

There’s a tendency for people who have not done a lot of public speaking to rush. But that gets the internal emotions going and the heart racing, when the opposite is what’s desired to deliver a good speech.

Margaret Page

President-elect

Toastmasters International

It’s time to deliver

Now that you’ve written your toast, it’s time to prepare your delivery. Here are seven tips to help it go smoothly.

1. Practice, practice, practice

Rehearse your toast well ahead of time — in front of the mirror, on video, or in front of someone who can provide feedback. “You don’t have to memorize the whole speech, but it definitely needs to be well rehearsed,” Clise says. It’s fine to use note cards with a table of contents or some trigger words to help keep you on track, but stay away from reading a script word for word.

2. Scope things out

Try to find out ahead of time where in the toasting order you are. Also, find out about the audio system and be sure to test it out ahead of time. “There’s nothing worse than trying to speak and having tech problems prevent you from being heard,” Clise says.

3. Take some deep breaths

Prepare yourself by taking some long, deep breaths while the toaster immediately ahead of you is speaking. “That helps to take you out of your head, where the anxiety hits, and back into your body,” Page says.

When it’s your turn to speak, take a moment to settle in, breathe, smile, and look around at the audience. “You want the feeling of ease and comfort, so don’t feel you have to jump in and start speaking right away,” Page says.

wedding toast with maid of honor giving wedding speech

4. Take your time

“There’s a tendency for people who have not done a lot of public speaking to rush,” Page says. “But that gets the internal emotions going and the heart racing, when the opposite is what’s desired to deliver a good speech.”

So, speak slightly slower than your normal speech rate. Not only will it help keep you calm, but it will also ensure everyone understands you — including people whose first language isn’t English.

5. Remember eye contact

As you speak, look either at the person or persons you’re toasting or at the audience — not at your shoes, the floor, your hands, or elsewhere. “This will make it seem like you’re looking everyone in the eyes,” Clise says.

6. Stay sober

Avoid alcohol until after you have delivered your toast — but do make sure you have something in your glass to sip when the time comes to “drink to” the bride and groom.

7. Don’t be thrown off by the unexpected

Finally, as much as we try to prepare, remember Murphy’s Law. The mic may drop, a drunken guest starts heckling, or the server dumps a tray of dishes on the floor. “If something like that happens to you, just pause, allow the attention to go to that moment, and then try to get the floor back,” Clise says.

wedding toast with woman giving speech about bride and groom

By preparing in advance and following these tips, you can pull off the wedding toast like a pro and make the couple’s special day extra special.

Here’s to your toasting success!

Why Every Birthday Is Special and Deserves to Be Treated Like a Milestone

From winning gift ideas to card message suggestions, “Birthdays Reimagined” provides tips to help you make your loved one’s birthday wishes come true. Birthdays are a chance to celebrate, commemorate past years and what’s to come, and connect with friends. Make your birthday matter with these expert tips.

Every year, we all have a special day when we’re showered with gifts, well-wishes, greeting cards, and congratulatory social media posts. Children look forward to their birthdays and all the presents, games, and cake that come with it. For adults, the pomp of birthdays sometimes diminishes as life gets busy. But the day is no less special.

Children and adults alike enjoy good times, and that is especially true on birthdays. Birthdays, whether your own or someone else’s, are a great reason to have fun, entertain, socialize, and make memories.

“Your birthday is a celebration just for being born,” says Pauline Wallin, Ph.D., a psychologist in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania. “You don’t need to do anything to earn it, and no one can take it away from you.”

Each anniversary of your birth marks a unique moment in time — the day when you came into the world — and is a reminder that you have been given one more year of this wonderful gift of life. That alone is reason to treat it as a joyous occasion.

While birthdays connect us to our past, they also can serve as temporal landmarks. These moments help us move forward by encouraging us to make a fresh start and take action toward future goals and aspirations. Rather than being about numbers, birthdays are about life and constant renewal, and each one should be celebrated with alacrity.

“The fact is, every birthday is special, whether the birthday boy or girl is turning 8 or 80,” says Jim McCann, 1-800-Flowers.com’s founder and executive chairman. “Birthdays are an opportunity to connect with the people in our lives and reflect on accomplishments, learnings, and memories.”

Getting older = getting better

Sure, a birthday means you’re another year older — but that’s even more reason to celebrate. You have one more year of lived experience to your credit, and with it comes extra wisdom, learning, and personal growth.

In fact, celebrating another year can help promote a healthy attitude toward aging. “In some cultures, such as Greek, Native American, and several in Asia, older people are considered wise and given great respect, so this can be a good aspect to focus on as we get older,” Dr. Wallin says.

a photo of why every birthday is special: friends celebrating a 60th birthday

Birthday celebrations and acknowledgments also can promote mental health and emotional well-being. “It’s a feel-good moment when someone takes the time to recognize your birthday,” says Deborah Crowe, an executive and business coach based in London, Ontario. “Who doesn’t like to be recognized on their special one day out of 365?”

In children, birthdays can be good for building self-esteem. “Birthdays are focused on the individual, which can make a child feel special,” Dr. Wallin says. “And as an adult, having happy memories of childhood birthday celebrations can be good for your mental health.”

Here are five ways to make sure you treat every birthday as the milestone it deserves to be.

1. Take time to reflect on the past year

Use a birthday as a time to take stock of the honoree’s life. Look back on what they’ve achieved since their last birthday, the hurdles they’ve overcome, and where they hope to be when their next birthday rolls around.

Capture your thoughts in a letter or express them at the party or over a phone call. “You have the power to affect how someone feels,” McCann says. “Pick up the phone, send a text, or share a memory, and let them know how much you are thinking of them on their special day.”

2. Show gratitude by giving back

Birthdays can be a great time to reflect on many blessings in our lives and what we’re grateful for. If your birthday is coming up, use it as a chance to give back, such as requesting donations to your favorite charity in lieu of gifts. This is something Dr. Wallin herself has done. If a friend’s birthday is coming up, ask about a favorite charity you can contribute to.

3. Celebrate in a way that pleases you

a photo of why every birthday is special: cutting a cake at a birthday party

However you choose to celebrate, do it in a way that makes them happy. If a big, all-out bash is not their thing, you can mark the occasion in a more quiet, low-key way. “I tell people to focus on making the day enjoyable for themselves,” Dr. Wallin says. “Simple pleasures like buying flowers or plants are easy to do and don’t require a lot of preparation.”

4. Remember others on their birthday

As nice as it is to have our birthdays remembered, it’s even better to remember someone else on their birthday — even if it’s just saying (or singing) happy birthday to them. “It’s a very small effort that is usually much appreciated, and it’s also a good way to keep in touch with people you don’t see or talk to very often,” Dr. Wallin says.

5. Give a gift

Gifts are a wonderful added perk to having a birthday. Whether giving to a friend, family member, employee, colleague, or even yourself, here are five gift ideas to inspire and delight.

a photo of why every birthday is special: birthday gift basket

Gourmet gift basket

Who doesn’t love tasty, sumptuous food? These are items we tend not to buy for ourselves, so receiving a basket with yummy cheeses, pâtés, jams, and teas is sure to please the birthday person for weeks to come.

a photo of why every birthday is special: birthday tulips

Flowers

There’s nothing like a fresh floral arrangement or a plant basket to lift one’s spirits and remind the recipient of your love and well wishes.

a photo of why every birthday is special: birthday strawberries

Sweets

Chocolate-covered strawberries, cheesecake bites, or candy-covered cake pops will please the sweet tooth of any birthday recipient or party guest. They are also perfect for a work celebration.

a photo of why every birthday is special: personalized beer mug

Something personal

A personalized framed photo, mug, glassware, T-shirt, or bottle of wine that reflects the recipient’s unique personality shows extra thought and care on your part. Additionally, Crowe says, “giving personalized gifts to staff on their birthdays shows the employer has spent time getting to know their employee outside the scope of work and is present and interested in their lives.”

a photo of why every birthday is special: birthday candle

Candles

In addition to giving off light and warmth, candles can symbolize support and love. You can choose from an array of candle shapes, sizes, and scents — or gift your friend or co-worker a special birthday candle.

Don’t rely on others to make your birthday special

If someone forgets to send you a card or gift, or even give you a call, let it go. “My advice, which I follow myself, is it’s up to you to make your birthday special,” Dr. Wallin says. “If others remember, that’s a bonus, but if they don’t, it does not mean that you’re not important to them. Your birthday is not a test of how much your family and friends care about you.”

Instead, let this motivate you to become better at remembering others on their birthday. Go out of your way to treat them on their special day as you would want to be treated on yours. No matter what age a person is turning, treating their birthday like a milestone is something that never gets old.

The Many Benefits of Showing Employee Appreciation

Whether you’re just starting or are a seasoned entrepreneur, “Inside Business” provides you with advice and best practices to help you better manage your business. In this story, experts review the benefits of employee appreciation with tips on how to express recognition.

It may sound cliché, but your employees are your most precious asset. Accordingly, you want them to be happy, productive, and stay with your firm. Showing your employees that you appreciate them will go a long way in achieving these objectives.

Employee appreciation — also known as employee recognition or employee gratitude — is about valuing people for their contributions and letting them know it. One can express it in many ways, from something as simple as a heartfelt “thank you” to gifts like flowers, chocolate, or gift cards.

The benefits of showing employee appreciation

Employees who know they’re appreciated tend to be happier, more creative, and better team players. At least that has been the experience of Jamie Barnes, owner and strategy communicator of 981 Communications, a human resources communications consulting firm in Chicago. “They’ll bring more energy, interest, and enthusiasm to the work,” she explains. “This benefits the employer because happy employees create happy customers.”

Simple acknowledgment makes workers feel valued, which promotes feelings of positivity in the workplace. “It is important to recognize employees now more than ever,” says Virginia Pagan, coordinator, human resources and benefits at 1-800-FLOWERS.com, Inc. “Right now employees are looking for an indication that their work is meaningful and that their organization values and appreciates them.”

Pagan notes that employee appreciation day is a perfect opportunity to show them they are valued. Sending them a gift for this special day that reflects their personal interests are the small details that show a company understands the core personality of their employees.

Go for high engagement

Conversely, not feeling appreciated or connected to the organizational culture breeds disengagement and discontent, which begets a negative cycle. “When employees are not engaged, they’re not in a flow state or producing effectively, both of which drive profitability,” says Angela Heyroth, founder and principal of Denver-based Talent Lifecycle Designs, a boutique HR consulting firm specializing in the design of custom employee experience programs.

In the worst-case scenario, valuable employees who do not feel appreciated will leave the firm. “One thing the pandemic has taught us is that feeling connected and valued is of primary importance to people,” Heyroth continues. In her experience, underappreciated employees of the past got frustrated or became less engaged in their work. “Now they’re just leaving, sometimes without having another job to go to,” she says.

Getting the most from your employee appreciation efforts

More companies are beginning to realize that showing gratitude involves much more than celebrating the annual Employee Appreciation Day in early March. With greater frequency, they’re allocating budgets to develop formal employee appreciation plans and programs.

Sometimes it takes an outsider’s perspective to identify the company values and culture and design the employee appreciation program to align with these.

Angela Heyroth

Founder and Principal

Talent Lifecycle Designs

According to one study, companies with a strategic employee recognition program reported more than 71 percent higher engagement levels among their staff than companies without such a program. For a few reasons, managers may prefer to work with a consultant to develop an employee appreciation strategy. One is objectivity. “Sometimes it takes an outsider perspective to identify the company values and culture and design the employee appreciation program to align with these,” Heyroth explains.

The other lies in the interest of saving time. “As an internal employee, you’re focused on keeping the company moving and don’t always have time to step back from other priorities and design a program,” says Heyroth. “Having someone come in whose sole task is to create that employee appreciation plan lets the HR manager keep the core foundational HR elements running seamlessly.”

Even without generous budgets and resources to dedicate to formal employee appreciation programs, employers can still get on board. There are many no-cost or low-cost initiatives, such as a sincere verbal or written thank you, that can go a long way to engender trust, motivation, and goodwill.

Regardless of what you choose to do, making appreciation part of the culture is critical. It will consistently show employees that you recognize their value to the company’s success.

Aligning recognition with what matters

Which employee rewards should you offer? Well, there’s probably not much merit to gifting free baseball tickets to someone who is not a sports fan. On the other hand, that same person might welcome a free subscription to his or her favorite magazine. “One way to deal with this challenge is to let people pick their own rewards from several options you’re offering,” says Heyroth.

Feeling appreciated has its rewards

Successful appreciation programs are built to recognize and reward employees at various levels. “Spot rewards—a small but tangible gift, such as a cup of coffee or lunch—should be common and easily distributed,” says Barnes. “This can fuel momentum when a project gets tough,” she says

Social recognition also normalizes a culture of celebrating successes. “A fellow employee compliments another, a manager publicly recognizes someone, or a public post is made— these all allow an employee to share their pride and accomplishment with the community and can contribute reputation building,” says Barnes. And finally, more significant rewards can recognize and award tremendous efforts. “These can be a bonus, extra time off, or other appropriate gifts,” she says.

The right gesture, wrong token

There are also specific actions that managers should avoid. “One of the worst mistakes I’ve seen is where companies obtain a rash of gift cards and hand them out at their discretion to employees for every little thing,” says Heyroth. “They mean well, which is admirable, but if the value of what the employee did doesn’t correlate to the value of the reward, the recognition loses all sense of purpose to the employee,” she says.

Ultimately, to feel appreciated is a basic human need. Meeting this need in your employees can yield high dividends to the company. Heyroth sums it up nicely: “At the end of the day, letting someone know they are valued is a small thing that can make a huge positive change in the effort they give you, and isn’t that what we’re all after?”

The Benefits of Desk Plants & Flowers in the Office

The series “Back To It” features advice and ideas for celebrating the return to school and the office. In this article, we explore the benefits of desk plants and flowers in the office.

Living green walls and colorful blooms that add a splash of color to an endless sea of gray cubicles. Lush tropical plants lining a reception area. A vase of multicolored tulips making a desk more personal. There’s no limit to the ways we can enjoy desk plants and flowers — they are so much more than just eye candy.

Even just a small bouquet of flowers in your office changes the look of your work environment, which can change the way you feel about working.

Pat Mussieux

Entrepreneur and Business Coach

From cleaning the air and lifting our spirits to brightening up an otherwise dreary space, plants and flowers perform amazing feats and functions to make us work happier and better.

“Even just a small bouquet of flowers in your office changes the look of your work environment, which can change the way you feel about working, ” says Pat Mussieux, an entrepreneur and business coach based in Edmonton, Canada, who buys flowers for her office every week.

Here’s a look at the myriad psychological, social, and aesthetic benefits to having plants and flowers in the office.

Office plants and flowers improve creativity, problem-solving, and productivity

Photo of young workers in an office that makes good use of desk plants

Several studies show that having plants in the office improves creativity, productivity, and problem-solving, says Dr. Natasha Graham, a psychotherapist in private practice in Toronto, Canada. “In one study where plants were randomly distributed in the workplace, those who received the plants in their offices had a 15 percent higher level of productivity compared to those that did not,” she says. One of the reasons, the study concludes, is that employees who engage with their environment have an easier time staying focused.

“In addition, there are multiple studies that show increased well-being and decreased anxiety and stress in people who have flowers around,” she says.

In a study of office workers by the University of Hyogo in Awaji, Japan, for example, the visual and aesthetic impact of intentionally gazing at plants on the desk during times of fatigue, combined with the social impact of caring for them, significantly reduced anxiety and stress among these employees.

Desk plants and flowers fulfill a human need to connect with nature

Some ascribe these positive psychological and social benefits of plants and flowers to an innate need of humans to connect with nature — a term called biofilia.

Biophilia was first used by the German-born American psychoanalyst Erich Fromm, and he coined the term for what he described as “the passionate love of life and all that is alive.” More recently the American biologist Edward O. Wilson defined it as “the urge to affiliate with other forms of life.”

Let’s face it, many of us work indoors, where often the only other forms of life we encounter are our colleagues and the coffee machine (well, it sustains life…). Workplace environments can be very stark and lifeless to boot, surrounded by steel, concrete, and generic monochrome furnishings.

Plants offer a simple way to bring some of the natural world inside, adding life and softness to an otherwise sterile decor. “This is important both aesthetically and psychologically,” says Dr. Graham.

The purely biological functions of office plants — like oxygen production and air purification — also link to the psychological. Certain plants, such as the Boston fern, spider plant, broad lady palm, rubber tree, and peace lily, are particularly clever at removing toxic chemicals like formaldehyde.

And better air quality makes for a more comfortable work environment … and a more comfortable work environment tends to make people more enthusiastic toward their work and helps to reduce stress levels and negative feelings. This is especially critical in professional settings that require good social interaction, collaboration, and cooperation.

Change your environment, thinking, and performance

Office plants and flowers don’t have to be fancy or expensive, and they are a quick and simple way to make your work environment more attractive and inviting. An attractive and inviting workspace can have a positive effect on both mindset and motivation, something that’s especially important if you work from home or are self-employed.

Mussieux knows this firsthand: She credits her weekly habit of buying fresh flowers with helping to transform her business from barely surviving to actively thriving.

Ironically, Mussieux didn’t grow up with flowers in the house. “My dad never brought my mom flowers,” she says. “There were seven kids, we lived on military bases, and it was not part of our lifestyle.”

There are multiple studies that show increased well-being and decreased anxiety and stress in people who have flowers around.

Dr. Natasha Graham

Psychotherapist

That changed when she found herself starting over in a new city. “I had no money, no contacts, and was struggling to get my business off the ground,” Mussieux says. She started working with a high-level marketing coach from New York who often showed her inspiring pictures and video clips. They always had fresh flowers center stage, and Mussieux says, “That got me into the mindset of not letting my lack of money at the time influence my self-worth or who I was in the business market.”

So Mussieux started to buy herself fresh flowers every week, within what her budget would allow. “Sometimes I would just pick up one rose and put it in a pretty vase,” she says. Not long after, her business started to grow in leaps and bounds. “It was a small thing, but it made a huge difference in my thinking. I truly believe that having fresh flowers around you shifts your energy, thinking, performance, and results, and most importantly, boosts your sense of self worth,” says Mussieux. She now advises her coaching clients to do the same.

Our green friends are formidable office helpers that play a big part in keeping us healthy, happy, and inspired. There are desk plant and flower options to suit everyone’s taste and budget, too. So, add some blooms and greenery to your workspace today and see how your attitude, mood, and performance blossom. After all, you’re worth it!

How Summer Fridays Can Work All Year Round

The series “Summer Living” offers helpful tips and inspiring stories for making the most out of the all-too-short season.

Thursday night in August, fabulous weather, and you’re heading to the beach tomorrow. Lucky you! Your company offers summer Fridays.

Having a day free of meetings can ease that mental pressure, which can lend itself to greater clarity of thought, stronger focus, and increased productivity.

Jennifer Loftus

National Director

Astron Solutions

Summer Fridays are a popular employee perk that lets people take a full or half-day off each Friday between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

Here’s the idea behind it: Summer is a slower period for many organizations, and giving staff paid time off to enjoy the warmer months helps to boost employee satisfaction and morale without compromising productivity.

The pandemic — with all its associated employee stress and burnout — has thrust work-life balance issues into the spotlight. Accordingly, summer Fridays are getting a closer look as more employers recognize the need for employees to have time off to recharge their batteries.

“Companies that don’t already have some sort of summer Friday program as part of their total rewards package are now looking to start one,” says Jennifer Loftus, national director of Astron Solutions, a human resources consulting company based in New York.

Any day can be a summer Friday

Summer Friday programs come in many different forms, adaptations, and variations. And they aren’t necessarily limited to summer — or Fridays, for that matter. “The essence of a summer Friday program is giving employees the freedom to do what they want and need to do, so what it looks like really depends on what makes sense to the business,” says Loftus.

One common variation is working half-day Fridays throughout the year, something that Denver-based DCP Midstream, a Fortune 500 natural gas company, has been doing. “Our office work schedules include slightly longer Monday to Thursday hours to allow for a half-day on Fridays,” says Tamara Bray, chief human resources officer at DCP Midstream. “But we know our employees enjoy this schedule because it allows them an early start to their weekends and they can avoid the Friday afternoon rush hour,” she says. In addition, the company has recently expanded its remote work program, which allows office employees to work from home several days a week.

Other variations of the summer Friday theme include floating holidays or days off, four-day workweeks, DIY long weekends during the summer, and even something as simple as one meeting-free day per week.

“With so much meeting overload and Zoom fatigue thanks to COVID, just having a day free of meetings can ease that mental pressure, which can lend itself to greater clarity of thought, stronger focus, and ultimately increased productivity,” Loftus says.

Better employee attraction and retention, increased profitability

One big advantage to having a summer Friday program is employee attraction and retention. “If COVID has taught us anything, it’s that people are looking for more flexibility in the workplace,” Loftus says.

Bray adds: “We know that employees have very different expectations for when, where, and how they work, and to compete for talent, employers will need to refine their flexibility programs to capture the best and brightest.”

And if they’re executed well, summer Friday programs can even help the bottom line. The Wanderlust Group, a New England–based outdoor tech company, tried shifting to a four-day workweek — with Mondays off — last year after the company’s CEO Michael Melillo, noticed how exhausted he and his staff had become after spending so many hours at the computer.

“We did it at first to help the team, but it ended up helping the company too,” Melillo wrote in a recent article. The company reported year-over-year revenue growth of 99%, and the four-day workweek is now a permanent company policy.

“The big takeaway is that shortening our workweek did not get in the way of our growth,” says Meghan Keaney Anderson, chief marketing officer at The Wanderlust Group. “In the process we became more strategic about how we use our time together, eliminating unproductive standing meetings and getting better at project management,” she says.

“In addition, having Monday off means we start the week strong,” she adds. “As a parent, my weekends can be just as chaotic as my workweek, so by having Monday off, I truly have time to myself to clear my head before driving back to work.”

Adding a summer Friday program

Thinking about adding a summer Friday program to your total rewards package? Loftus’s advice is don’t be afraid to try it. “I’ve seen it work successfully in so many different industries, organization sizes, and stages in the organizational life cycle.”

Here are five tips to help you make your summer Friday program a success:

Know your business and your industry

There’s no one-size-fits-all way to introduce the summer Friday benefit. “Depending on the organization, it might make more sense to have a Monday morning off, for employees who travel locally or want to extend the weekend a little longer,” Loftus suggests. “For another organization, maybe Wednesday is the slow day, so you really need to know your business and your industry and what’s going to be the right fit for your organization.”

Know your employees and what they value

Before introducing a summer Friday benefit, listen to your employees and get their opinions. “It’s good to talk with some employees first, maybe do some focus groups, to find out what they’re thinking and what kind of summer Friday benefit will be of most value to them,” Loftus recommends.

Get buy-in from senior leadership

Senior leadership may be hesitant, thinking the work won’t get done, customer service may suffer, or that outsiders will perceive the organization as being too carefree. “To get their support,” Loftus says, “it’s critical to show them the positive impact of a summer Friday program on productivity, customer service, and the bottom line.”

Consider starting with a pilot summer Fridays program

Depending on the organizational culture, you may want to start with a pilot program, perhaps trying it for a month in certain departments. “This way you can tweak what doesn’t work before rolling it out to the whole organization,” says Loftus. “It’s always easier to build out slowly than to go big and then have to take back,” she adds.

Communicate

Let your employees know this perk exists and encourage them to use it. “You want it to be something that employees look forward to, whether they’ve been there six months or six years,” Loftus explains. Equally, employees should know that this is not a free pass and the work still needs to get done.

Above all, make sure everyone understands that time off is time off. “It doesn’t mean the employee is tethered to their laptop or cell phone, otherwise it’s not a benefit,” says Loftus.